Hitherto, there has been known a brake control apparatus including regeneration braking means for applying a regeneration braking force generated by a motor (electric motor) to wheels, hydraulic pressure braking means (friction-type braking apparatus) for pressing friction members against the wheels via a hydraulic pressure to apply hydraulic pressure braking forces, and control means for cooperatively controlling operations of the regeneration braking means and the hydraulic pressure braking means (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
The related-art brake control apparatus is configured so that the control means includes a hybrid ECU (first control unit) and a brake ECU (second control unit) communicating with each other. In this related-art brake control apparatus, the brake ECU calculates a target total braking force to be generated when a vehicle is to be braked. The brake ECU transmits a signal representing the calculated target total braking force via communication to the hybrid ECU. The hybrid ECU receives the signal representing the target total braking force via the communication. The hybrid ECU distributes the target total braking force represented by the received signal to a target regeneration braking force and a target hydraulic pressure braking force. The hybrid ECU transmits a signal representing the distributed target hydraulic pressure braking force to the brake ECU via the communication. The brake ECU receives the signal representing the target hydraulic pressure braking force via the communication. It should be noted that the hybrid ECU may transmit a signal representing the target regeneration braking force to the brake ECU via the communication, and the brake ECU may receive the signal representing the target regeneration braking force via the communication, to thereby determine the target hydraulic pressure braking force from the target total braking force and the received target regeneration braking force.
As a result, the hybrid ECU operates the regeneration braking means in accordance with the target regeneration braking force. Moreover, the brake ECU operates the hydraulic pressure braking means in accordance with the target hydraulic pressure braking force. In this way, in the related-art brake control apparatus, the hybrid ECU and the brake ECU communicate and cooperate with each other, thereby generating the target total braking force.